Seams and hems in articles of clothing generally include stitching formed by electric sewing machines. Even though the electric sewing machines facilitate rapid manufacture, they cannot provide a flat and smooth appearance to the finished articles.
Seams and hems with a flat and sheer appearance may be achieved using thermally sensitive adhesive film tapes, ribbons, or other heat-fusing means between the layers of fabric, in which a pneumatic bonding machine or hot iron may be used to apply heat and pressure along the fabric edge. Although thermal fusing may achieve a good sheer appearance, the process involved is time consuming, and pneumatic bonding machines are expensive. Moreover, pneumatic bonding machines direct a stream of heated air through a nozzle at the area to be joined, and the stream of heated air may be adversely affected by ambient conditions, such as air temperature and airflow, on the factory floor.
Consequently, it is desirable to provide a fabric-processing device with a presser foot for applying heat to a material. This is analogous to a conventional presser foot that provides stitching to a material. It is also desirable to provide a sewing machine that can provide heat-fused hems and seams.